فصل سی و سوم

Chapter 33

Bradley was terrible!

He dribbled with two hands. He passed the ball to people who weren’t on his team. But, worst of all, whenever anyone passed the ball to him, he said “thank you.” He never shot at the basket. He didn’t dare. Finally, after his team was losing 28 to 6 anyway, everyone told him to try a shot.

He looked around for someone to pass to.

Jeff sat down so Bradley wouldn’t pass it to him. “Just shoot,” he said.

The rest of his team sat down too. “Shoot it!” they said.

Everybody on the other team sat down too. “Shoot the ball!” Bradley faced the basket. His tongue slipped out the corner of his mouth as he carefully aimed, then threw the ball high in the air. It hit the back of the rim, bounced against the backboard, then dropped through the net.

“Great shot!” said Jeff.

“Way to go,” said Andy, patting him on the back.

At first he couldn’t believe it, but then he saw Carla’s book, lying on the ground at the base of the basket. No wonder, he realized.

Everyone headed for the water fountain. Bradley went along, too, even though he wasn’t thirsty. But then, once he got there, he realized he was thirsty. He just hadn’t noticed.

“Good game, Bradley,” said Brian.

“You just have to stop passing to people who aren’t on your team!” said Dan.

“Maybe you should give the rest of us on your team black eyes too,” said Robbie. “Then you’ll know who to pass to.” Everyone laughed, even Bradley.

He and Jeff were the last two left at the water fountain. Everyone else had already started back to class. As they drank, their eyes met and they broke up laughing.

“How did you get the black eye?” Bradley asked after he stopped laughing.

“Melinda,” said Jeff.

Bradley nodded. “She’s strong,” he said.

“Oh boy, you can say that again,” said Jeff.

They laughed again.

“My book!” Bradley suddenly exclaimed. He ran back to the basketball court where he’d left it.

Jeff shook his head as he watched Bradley run away. Life’s weird, he thought.

He walked into the boys’ bathroom and splashed his sweaty face with cold water. He had to hold the faucet down with one hand and splash his face with the other.

Colleen Verigold walked in.

He stared at her.

She looked around, then screamed and ran outside.

Jeff watched the door swing shut behind her.